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Event

India D2C Summit & Awards 2023 Honours Trailblazing Brands and Professionals

The second edition of the highly anticipated India D2C Summit and Awards 2023 (D2C 2023) presented by DHL and powered by GreenHonchos concluded on a high note, recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements of D2C brands and professionals.

The event, held on 07 June and 08 June 2023 at The Westin Powai, Mumbai, witnessed industry leaders, experts, and visionaries coming together to acknowledge and applaud the achievements of the awardees.

The IMAGES India D2C Awards 2023, powered by DHL, was the grand finale of the esteemed event, recognizing and honouring exceptional achievements of D2C players. The prestigious awards highlighted the remarkable success stories and innovations within the D2C industry in India.

The awards recognised excellence in various categories representing different sectors, ranging from apparel and accessories to beauty and technology implementation.The event ended with cocktails and celebrations, providing a festive atmosphere for the attendees to network and celebrate the remarkable achievements of the D2C industry in India.

The esteemed jury members played a crucial role in the selection and recognition of the outstanding brands and professionals in the D2C industry. The jury comprised highly respected and influential individuals from diverse backgrounds. Ashish Dhir, Executive Vice President (Consumer and Retail) at 1Lattice, along with Arjun Vaidya, Ventures Lead – India at Verlinvest; Rishav Jain, MD at Alvarez & Marsal; and Vamshi Reddy, Partner at Kalaari Capital, brought their expertise and insights to the evaluation process. Véronique Poles, Luxury Lifestyle Fashion Consultant and Advisor – India at Poles Luxe Consulting, and Nandini Kelkar, Vice President – Customer Analytics at Frost & Sullivan (MEASA), played integral roles in the selection process. Rajiv Vaishnav, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Cornerstone Venture Partners Fund; Pankaj Jaju, Founder & CEO of Metta Capital Advisors LLP, and Shreyans Gangwal, Principal at Fireside Ventures, provided their valuable perspectives. Additionally, Sanil Sachar, Co-founder and Partner at Huddle; Surabhi Purwar, Principal at Titan Capital; Anand Shankar, Vice President at Sharrp Ventures; Karunesh Vohra, Catalyst at Business of Design; and Shrenik Gandhi, Co-founder of White Rivers Media, lent their expertise to the evaluation process. Lastly, Barathi Srinivasan, Partner at Kearney, contributed to the comprehensive assessment of the nominees.

Among the esteemed awardees at the India D2C Summit & Awards 2023 were:

-The IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Apparel category was won by House of Chikankari. The award was presented by Dhruv Thakkar – Senior Director – Business Development at DHL Supply Chain India.

-Accessorize London and Lavie were the winners of the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Accessories & Lifestyle category. The award was presented by Dhruv Thakkar – Senior Director – Business Development at DHL Supply Chain India.

-Zouk received the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Footwear category. The award was presented by Suresh Sivaraj – Director – Solution Design at DHL Supply Chain India.

-T.A.C (The Ayurveda Company) was awarded the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Beauty & Personal Care category. The award was presented by Suresh Sivaraj – Director – Solution Design at DHL Supply Chain India.

-Kapiva and Upakarma Ayurveda were recognized as the winners of the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Fitness & Wellness category. The award was presented by Piyush Kumar, Marketing head, Centric Software and Ashish Dhir, Executive Vice President (Consumer and Retail), 1Lattice.

-Anveshan was honoured as the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Food category. The award was presented by Piyush Kumar, Marketing head, Centric Software and Ashish Dhir, Executive Vice President (Consumer and Retail), 1Lattice.

-VAHDAM® India received the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Beverages category. The award was presented by Vijay Choudhary, Head of Growth, BharatX.

-Haus & Kinder and SleepyCat were acknowledged as the winners of the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Home & Home Essentials category. The award was presented by Vijay Choudhary, Head of Growth, BharatX.

-Nirmalaya was recognized as the winner of the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Speciality category. The award was presented by Navin Joshua, Founder and Director, GreenHonchos.

-Varco Leg Care was honoured with the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Launch of the Year award. The award was presented by Navin Joshua, Founder and Director, GreenHonchos.

-IGP received the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Celebrity Endorsement category. The award was presented by Ajit Kulkarni, Director – Sales, PayU & Rajendra Kalkar – President (Malls) & Whole Time Director – The Phoenix Mills Ltd.

-LetsDressUp was acknowledged for the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Launch category. The award was presented by Ajit Kulkarni, Director – Sales, PayU & Rajendra Kalkar – President (Malls) & Whole Time Director – The Phoenix Mills Ltd.

-Plum Goodness received the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Offline Marketing category. The award was presented by Tanya Sharma – Senior Manager, Marketing – Go Kwik.

-Phool was recognized for the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Marketing Campaign of the Year in the Social Media category. The award was presented by Asad Khatau, Head of Sales and Partnerships, Interakt and Véronique Poles, Advisor – India, Poles Luxe Consulting.

IGP was honoured as the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Delivery / Logistics Excellence category. The award was presented by Asad Khatau, Head of Sales and Partnerships, Interakt and Véronique Poles, Advisor – India, Poles Luxe Consulting.

-Shobitam was acknowledged for the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the Year in the Tech Implementation category. The award was presented by Rohit Khetan, VP Marketing and Strategy, Ginesys.

-Assembly and Something’s Brewing were recognized for the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Innovation of the Year in the Customer Base Management category. The award was presented by Rohit Khetan, VP of Marketing and Strategy, Ginesys.

-Wellbeing Nutrition received the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Innovation of the Year in the Product category. The award was presented by Inayat Guram, Director, Enterprise Innovation, Logic ERP Solutions.

-Bare Necessities was acknowledged for the IMAGES Most Admired D2C Innovation of the Year in the Packaging category. The award was presented by Inayat Guram, Director, Enterprise Innovation, Logic ERP Solutions

-The IMAGES Most Admired D2C Professional of the Year award was presented by
Bhavesh Pitroda, Group CEO & Director, IMAGES Group.

Shaurya Somani, COO – Technology, IMAGES Group to

Puneet Gupta (Founder & CEO, Clensta)

Rahul Aggarwal (Founder & CEO, Coffeeza)

Satish Singh (Founder & CEO, Joker & Witch)

Dr. Drishti Anand (Cofounder, LetsDressUp)

These exceptional individuals and brands have demonstrated remarkable leadership, innovation, and growth within the D2C sector in India. Their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction has propelled the D2C industry to new heights. The India D2C Summit & Awards 2023 provided a platform for these trailblazing brands and professionals to showcase their achievements and inspire others in the industry.

About the IMAGES Group:

Established in 1992, IMAGES Group is India’s most prolific and influential disseminator of retail intelligence. Recognised by Indian and international retail communities through its B2B Magazines, Conferences, Exhibitions, Research Reports and Web Portals, the IMAGES Group is the largest retail intelligence organization in South Asia and the Middle East, whose multiple products and services function as catalysts for the profitable growth of modern retail through knowledge platform leadership. The Group’s knowledge platforms include print and online reportage, research studies, and major annual business events with Conferences, Master-Classes and Workshops serving multiple verticals/segments/operations of retail. The mega industry events include India Food Forum, India Fashion Forum, Phygital Retail Convention, Internet Commerce Summit, India D2C Summit and the Middle East Retail Forum.

by Vivek Kumar

W7Worldwide proudly announces that Abdulrahman Inayat has been recognized as PR Leader of the Year at the prestigious Athar Festival 2025, in a category presented in association with the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) — the global representative body for PR associations and consultancies. Representing the world’s leading PR consultancies and national associations across more than 80 countries, ICCO serves as the global voice of the public relations industry. This recognition underscores Inayat’s exceptional leadership and W7Worldwide’s continued contribution to advancing the communications landscape across Saudi Arabia, the MENA region, and international markets. “This achievement is not only personal; it reflects the collective dedication of our W7Worldwide team and the transformation we are witnessing across the Saudi communication landscape,” said Abdulrahman Inayat . “We are proud to contribute to shaping a globally competitive PR industry that mirrors Vision 2030’s ambition and creativity.” This honor adds to a recent series of distinctions recognizing Abdulrahman Inayat’s leadership in the communications sector. He was previously elected Chairman of the Regional Board of the International Public Relations Network (IPRN) for the Middle East and North Africa. He also made history as the youngest board member of PRCA MENA and was presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award, further underscoring his influence across the regional marketing and communications landscape. Meanwhile, W7Worldwide has received over 30 awards in recent years across local, regional, and global platforms, being recognized among the leading communications consultancies in the region. “Abdulrahman’s recognition as PR Leader of the Year exemplifies the excellence and ambition driving the Middle East’s creative marketing and communications community forward,” said Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Motivate Media Group and Festival Co-Founder. W7Worldwide has evolved into one of the region’s most respected homegrown communications consultancies, earning international acclaim for its strategic thinking, innovative storytelling, and deep cultural understanding. The agency continues to lead the way in positioning Saudi and MENA communications excellence on the global stage. About W7Worldwide W7Worldwide is a homegrown, award-winning communications consultancy known for its strategic insights, thought leadership, and culturally grounded storytelling. With a proven track record of partnering with more than 100 clients across diverse sectors, the firm has built deep expertise in reputation management and strategic communication, helping organizations strengthen trust and visibility. Operating across the MENA region and international markets, W7Worldwide continues to elevate Saudi communications leadership on the global stage.

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